7 Unexpected Truths About Being a Witch

Witchcraft is still a thing. Actually, let me say it this way: Wicca is still a thing. I know there are folks out there in The Un-united States of the Internet (USI) who think that Wicca is a derogatory term – that Wicca = “fluff bunny” or “ignorant” or “n00b.” The truth is, the term Wicca doesn’t mean any of these things. Those same people are likely to disbelieve a lot of what I’m about to say here. Or: they may actually write me privately and complain that I left out their viewpoint.

The fact is: I don’t care about their viewpoint. Harsh as it may seem, people who oppose what I’m saying in this list are probably people who are exceptionally unaware of what Wicca is IRL (in real life).

Not all of us are Vegans or Vegetarians. Some of us are absolute Carnivores. I’m a living, breathing example of this fact. I prefer meat to vegetables any day. I’m also very not opposed to hunting, whether for sustenance or sport.

Exercise can be a really good discipline to amp up your spirituality. One of the mysteries that may click for you over time (because it cannot be taught) is that the spirit and the body are one and the same, not separate entities at all (though we separate them conceptually sometimes to make things a bit more understandable to our human consciousness). Exercising your physical body will heighten your awareness of your spiritual anatomy and assist in making it easier to access those unseen parts of yourself.

There are still secrets to the practice of Witchcraft that aren’t revealed unless you become part of a Coven. The information in the Wicca 101 books is all great. The information that you find in some of the more advanced books is also great. Even some of these authors, however, will assert that “there are no more secrets.” In truth, however, depending on the Tradition you’re practicing, there really are secrets that aren’t revealed outside of Coven work.

Some of us prefer the sunshine and daylight to the moon and the night. Don’t get me wrong: I love the night, the moon and (especially) the stars in the night sky. However, keep in mind: the sun is itself also a star. Many of us prefer sunlight and sunshine to the darkness. It isn’t that darkness is at all bad – I love the night when I can cuddle up under my flannel sheets on a deep winter’s night. I don’t get that chance often because I work nights. But when I do get that chance, I adore it. But I really, really love the sunshine, the warmth of it on my skin and the light.

Not all of us are opposed to the Hollywood version of Witchcraft – examples: the movies The Craft and Hocus Pocus. In fact, I’ve discovered over the years that there are more of us who enjoy these two particular movies than who do not. Witches like to have fun, too, and sometimes, fun comes in the form of completely fictional (or almost completely fictional) Witchcraft movies.

Some of us actually take breaks from Witchcraft every now and again – because it helps to numb out and be a part of pop culture sometimes. Examples: I love the shows Mob Wives, RuPaul’s Drag Race, The Leftovers, The Walking Dead, Salem, Penny Dreadful and American Horror Story. These are just some of my favorite shows that are scheduled for me to watch throughout the week.

The internet world of Witchcraft is not the world of Witchcraft I know IRL – the accusations, fighting and screaming about who is a “real witch” don’t exist offline. All of these idiots screaming about the differences between “Trad Craft” and “Wicca” and blah-blah-blah. Who cares? Life is about so much more than whether Wiccans are practicing “real” Witchcraft. Don’t be an idiot – we are practicing “real Witchcraft,” and it is the same as a lot of our Wiccan practices, by definition.